


Someone That's Worth Dying For

by rennytenten



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Character Development, Cute, Demisexuality, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, POV Third Person, Past Violence, What Have I Done
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-09 03:34:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7785154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rennytenten/pseuds/rennytenten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spencer Reid is dragged out for a night on the town with a few members of the BAU, in attempts to lighten the mood after a stressful case. He is caught off guard when he meets Garcia's friend (Y/N), the embodiment of beauty and intelligence that absolutely enthralls him. What intrigues him the most, however, is that her pure personality encompasses the people around her, without her even realizing it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Karaoke Night

**Author's Note:**

> Spencer's POV  
> Also: I am hoping to update every Tuesday and Thursday!

Spencer Reid stood in the doorway of Garcia's tech cave with his lips pressed into a firm line. Before him stood Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, and Penelope Garcia. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes in Derek's direction, but was met with his mischievous grin. 

"You gotta come with us, Genius Boy!" Garcia plead, pouting stubbornly. 

"I'm sure you guys would enjoy yourselves without my company. I don't even drink." Spencer argued relentlessly.

"You don't have to drink, we're going out for karaoke and a good time." Prentiss chimed with an eager smile on her face.  

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" He laughed and met the eyes of everyone surrounding him.

"It's cute that you thought you could," Derek approached Spencer and put a hand on his shoulder, "I refuse to go out without my Pretty Boy." Derek snickered as Spencer rolled his eyes and brushed off his hand. 

"Oh by the way," Garcia interjected excitedly, "A friend of mine will be joining us tonight. She's a pretty good singer with a radiant personality and some  _crazy_ artistic talent." 

"The more the merrier! You know that, baby doll. I'll see you guys later, I'm going to finish up my reports." Derek shot one last smirk in Garcia's direction and left the room, followed by Prentiss shortly afterwards. Garcia, sensing Spencer's lingering nervousness, gave him a reassuring smile. 

"It's next to impossible to feel nervous around my friend, you'll be alright." She turned back to her computer monitors and began typing away, cuing Spencer's exit. He turned on his heel and walked carefully out of the room, a pit of unease growing in his stomach. 

 

A few hours passed as the four finished up their reports and got ready for the evening's events. Spencer chose to wear a black sweater over his white collared button-up, dark navy jeans and his favorite pair of converse. His hair was disheveled, yet he managed to pull it off quite nicely. Having finished his reports long before the others, he had enough time to convince himself that he was worried over nothing. If Garcia's friend was as harmless as she made her out to be, he would be fine. He was never good at making friends or starting conversations, but a lot changed when he came to the BAU and now he was surrounded by coworkers that he considered family. 

"Hey Pretty Boy, what's got you all engrossed in your own mind over there?" Derek stared at him from his desk, a single brow raised. Spencer shook head and fidgeted with the pencil in his grip. 

"Nothing really, do you know who Garcia's friend is?" He swallowed nervously, not looking up from his lap. "It's just that, I'm not very good at socializing with people so I'm a little nervous about meeting her." 

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. Besides, Garcia wouldn't put you in a situation she didn't think you could handle." Spencer looked up to meet his eyes and nodded in response. A couple minutes later and the guys were joined by the girls who were glowing with excitement. 

"Let's get going! I wanna get there before (Y/N) so she doesn't end up alone and confused." Garcia seemed more animated than the group had ever seen her, but it was refreshing after the stress of their last case. 

"Spencer, you coming with me?" Derek stood next to them. Spencer swallowed the lump in his throat and he nodded, allowing Derek to lead him out the door with Prentiss and Garcia in tow giggling amongst themselves. They piled into two separate vehicles and made their way to the bar, the car ride relatively silent.

 

When they arrived, Garcia was already out of the vehicle and smiling brightly while she waited near the entrance for the rest of them. Something caught her attention as the three of them approached, and Spencer followed her gaze to a petite brunette walking slowly towards them.

"(Y/N)!!" Garcia squealed, pulling the girl into her embrace. She pulled her over to the rest of the group and began to introduce them, "That hunk over there is Derek," Garcia paused to whisper something in her ear, causing her to smile softly, "Then there's Emily, who's a pretty cool chick if I do say so myself," she turned slightly to point Spencer out, a smile growing across her face, "And that guy right there, his name is Spencer. I call him Genius Boy. You'll find out why eventually." (Y/N)'s gazed lingered on Spencer for a moment before Derek stepped forward. 

"Well nice to meet you, (Y/N)." He beamed. He slung an arm around her shoulder, gesturing in the direction of Spencer. "Do you prefer the bold and strong type, or the quirky and nerdy type?" 

Prentiss pushed Derek off (Y/N) and captured her in a hug. "Pay no mind to the womanizer and this night will go splendidly." They shared a smile before turning and leading the way into the building. It didn't seem too busy when they walked in Spencer noticed, and they made their way to an empty table near the karaoke stage. 

"Spencer, stay here with (Y/N). We're going to get drinks. Do you want anything?" She asked, eyeing the two of them. (Y/N) shook her head politely. 

"Just a water, please." Spencer's gaze followed Garcia as she walked the two others towards the bar and out of sight. His eyes returned to the table and settled on (Y/N). She smiled gently at him, causing his heart to lurch harshly. 

"It's nice to meet you, Spencer." Her eyes were soft and washed him with a warm calm. 

"Its nice to meet you as well, (Y/N)." He focused more on her features in the uncomfortable silence, watching the way her eyes flitted across the room. In the dimly lit room, he could see her cascade of wavy brown hair, and the way a few strands framed her face perfectly. Her eyes met his again and she stood up slowly, making her way around the table to sit in the seat beside him. 

"So tell me about yourself!" She kicked her legs and her eyes searched his face. Spencer expected to be nervous, sitting in such close proximity to a girl he just met. But instead he felt surprisingly calm, and turned his head to greet her with a smile. 

"Uh, well. I have an eidetic memory, an IQ of 187, and I can read 20,000 words per minute." He rambled, watching her expression. Her eyes widened and she leaned forward. 

"You're kidding, right?" Her eyes were golden brown saucers, and closer up Spencer could faintly see light freckles spotting her nose and under her eyes. 

"Actually I'm quite serious. I graduated high school when I was 12 and I joined the BAU when I was 22. I'm the youngest." (Y/N) looked at him skeptically. 

"That's pretty impressive." A look of pure adoration adorned her face, catching Spencer's breath in his throat. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and eyed (Y/N). 

"Impressive..." Spencer's mind racing was interrupted when the three other agents returned, each taking their place in a seat around the table. They all took note of where (Y/N) had moved to, and wore the same expression of smugness.

"Has Spencer told you about his impressive IQ yet, (Y/N)?" Derek teased, setting a water in front of him and taking a swig of whatever was in his own bottle. 

"Yes! I thought it was pretty cool." She smiled lightly.

He spent the evening paying close attention to her actions and personality. She was always smiling, which combined with her silky voice was probably the reason Spencer felt so relaxed. She glowed about things she was passionate about. Literature, art, music... When Garcia said her personality was radiant, he didn't expect it to be to this degree. He found himself welcomed inside of it, wanting to be enveloped in it as much as he could. He stayed animated throughout the evening, and the group laughed together as if they had done it a thousand times before. 

 

They decided to call it a night after the third rendition of P!nk's U and Ur Hand. Everything had gone smoother than anticipated, and Garcia seemed content with the outcome. As they all stood up from their seats at the table, (Y/N)  turned to Garcia. 

"I really appreciate you inviting me, and especially introducing me to your friends." (Y/N)'s gaze focused on Spencer and he felt an unfamiliar warmth rise to his cheeks. If he learned one thing from karaoke night, it was to  _never_ pass up karaoke night.


	2. Full-Time Nerd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N)'s POV

“Penny please, I need a plus one for my art exhibition! I’m going to be the only artist without someone on my arm.” (Y/N) pled. She was locking the doors to her black 2015 Kia Rio, juggling keys and iced coffee in one hand, a messenger bag over her shoulder, and her phone on her ear. She stumbled slightly over the edge of the sidewalk, almost sending her belongings flying. 

“Sorry sweetheart, I’m working that night.” Garcia sighed through the phone and (Y/N) could hear someone talking inaudibly in the background. 

“Is Derek there with you?” Y/N pushed open the door to the library with her elbow. She looked around and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of books and dust. Garcia giggled slightly. 

“He might be.” She responded in a singsong voice, “Hey I gotta let you go, talk later?” 

“Of course, talk to you later.” She hung the phone up, shoving it into her jean pocket. As she passed the information desk, she smiled softly at the librarian. 

“Nice to see you again, Y/N! What are you here for today?” The librarian sifted through a pile of books on the edge of the desk. 

“It’s nice to see you as well, Elaine. I’m just hunting down a copy of War and Peace, and looking for a place to hunker down and draw for a while.” 

“You’ve come to the right place.” Elaine winked, turning back to another pile of books dismissively. Y/N took it as her cue to leave and continued through the shelves, stopping to grab War and Peace before retreating to her usual spot. Finding the familiar clump of tables and lounging furniture, she sat on the navy blue sofa placed in the corner of the room and settled herself in. Pulling her sketchpad out of her messenger back along with her pack of pencils, she leaned back into the cushion and placed the pad in her lap. Her eyes flitted across the room, taking in her surroundings. At a table in the middle of the room sat a couple reading a book together an a group of guys huddled in the corner playing a card game. Y/N focused on the couple and began sketching their features. Her hand passed over the page lightly, creating the line of the guy’s cheekbones. 

“Y/N? Is that you?” A voice spoke startling her and causing her to throw her pencil. She raised her head and furrowed her brow before her eyes settled on where the voice came from. She knew who it was almost immediately after taking in the floppy mess of hair and lanky body. 

“Oh, Spencer!” She moved to cover her sketchbook and smile up at him. He returned the expression, moving closer to pick the pencil up off the floor. 

“Hey, can I show you a magic trick?” His eyes sparkled with amusement as he knelt on the floor in front of her. She nodded slightly and he reached his hand up to her ear. He pulled back, a folded up piece of paper in hand. Her eyes widened, “I think you should read this.” He smirked. 

She unfolded the sheet of paper slowly and carefully, reading the words written on it. 

_ Drawing other people is borderline stalking.  _

A blush climbed to her cheeks and she crumpled up the piece of paper. “Ha-ha, very funny. I people watch sometimes, it’s drawing reference.” Spencer stepped widely and let himself fall onto the opposite side of the couch. 

“Still stalking. So you’re an artist, then?” He pursed his lips, gesturing to the sketchpad on her lap. 

“Yes, actually. I’m a lot of things, if we’re being honest.” She clutched the pad to her chest and turned to face him slightly. He arched an eyebrow in her direction. 

“Such as?” 

“Well, I teach dance classes at an academy not far from here, I’m a freelance writer, and I am a full-time nerd at heart.” A curl played at the edges of his lips as he tried to remain composed. 

“Full-time nerd, huh?” He pressed his lips together to keep from smiling, “You must be pretty busy.” 

“Always. Between art exhibits and dance classes, I only have the _ entire _ rest of my free time to educate myself on everything under the sun.” (Y/N) took a swig of her coffee, looking at Spencer from under her eyelashes. 

“Woah wait- _ art exhibits _ ?” He exhaled deeply and pushed his hair back. 

“I know, it’s crazy. Just be glad you’re not the one who has to show up to each event being the only artist by yourself.” She mentally glared at Penelope. Her eyes took in the sight of Spencer, relaxed into the cushions of the couch. He wore an expression that she couldn’t quite decipher, but his eyes were focused solely on her. 

“Well we’re friends now, aren’t we?” His gaze was questioning as he ran through his hair again. Her mind wandered back to the previous evening when they exchanged phone numbers and a smile crept onto her face.

“Yes?” She prompted, watching Spencer’s cheeks turn a rosey pink color. 

“So… I’m willing to be your last resort.” He spoke quietly, fumbling with the sleeves of his sweater. (Y/N) scrunched up her nose and let out a soft laugh. 

“I think you’d actually be my first choice.” She tucked a hair behind her ear and watched as an expression of surprise and honor crossed his features. “My next exhibit is this Friday. Care to accompany me? You’ll have to dress up a little bit, but I’m sure you’ll love the art we have on display!” She leaned forward, grinning brightly. 

“I think that would be great! If I’m not needed for a case by then I’ll definitely be there.” They exchanged a smile before Spencer stood up and straightened out his clothes. 

“Well, I better be getting to finding the book Garcia sent me here for. See you Friday!” He rocked on his heels before turning and walking in the direction of the shelves. (Y/N) narrowed her eyes and pulled out her phone, typing frantically. 

_ Y/N: You’re a sly little wench.  _

A few minutes passed and her phone buzzed. 

_ Penny: I’ll bet you have a plus one now, don’t you? ;)  _

(Y/N) sighed, but a smile was plastered on her face and she could feel herself blushing slightly. She curled back into the comfort of the couch and decided to crack open War and Peace, despite knowing her mind would be wandering elsewhere for the rest of the afternoon. 


	3. Next Time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spencer's POV

Spencer groaned as he rolled over in bed Thursday morning. He grabbed his watch off the nightstand, looking at the time. It was seven o’clock and judging by the heat of the rays that came through his window and danced across his legs, it was going to be a beautiful day. He stretched his arms and legs slowly before swinging his body into an upright position. Rubbing his eyes, he slipped his feet into the slippers by his bed and stood up. It was too early to call Y/N, so instead he made his way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. He could practically feel the dark raccoon circles underneath his eyes and he leaned against his counter while his coffee brewed. 

Shortly thereafter he heard his cell ringing from the bedroom and he raced down the hallway to answer it at the last second. 

“Hello?” Spencer spoke into the receiver, lying breathlessly out on his mattress. 

“Hi Reid, this is Rossi,” a rustling came as he paused, causing dread to build in Spencer’s stomach, “We need you to come into the BAU, we have another case.” 

“Sure thing Rossi, let me get dressed and I’ll be there soon.” Spencer hung up, setting the phone hastily on the nightstand and cursing slightly under his breath. He rushed to change into his usual vest over button-up and tie combination before slipping into the bathroom to fuss with his hair. With one last glance in the mirror, he made a mental note to call Y/N later. He took his strides out the front door with ease, quickly getting into his vehicle and making his way to the BAU. It wasn’t long before he arrived at the office, setting his coffee mug at his desk and waiting for further instruction. 

“Hey there Pretty Boy, you look tired.” Derek’s voice came from behind him. Spencer groaned and turned to face him, pressing his lips together tightly. Derek put his arms up beside his face, immediately taking a step back. “Woah buddy, who pissed in  _ your _ Cheerios this morning.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I don’t eat Cheerios.” Spencer took a sip of his coffee with his mug tight in his grip. Penelope approached the two of them, smiling at Derek cheerfully and giving Spencer a sympathetic glance. 

“Hey hey Garcia, what’s that glance all about?” Derek asked, furrowing his brows at her. 

“Oh nothing you need to concern your pretty little mind about.” Her hand rested on his shoulder for a moment before she closed the space between her and Spencer enough to speak without anyone hearing her. “She’ll understand sweetpea, just give her a call before you leave.” Spencer nodded once before Penelope turned to walk away, leaving a confused Derek and a solemn Spencer in her wake. They were lead to the conference room by JJ for the briefing, yet he remained silent for a majority of it. The team agreed to meet by their cars within the next twenty minutes, after deciding who would be riding with who on the four hour ride to Pennsylvania. Spencer distanced himself from the group, pulling his phone out of his pants pocket and dialing Y/N’s number. She picked up after two rings. 

“Well hey there, Spencer!” Her honeyed voice enveloped him in a warm feeling, causing a smile to play at his lips. 

“Hey, Y/N…” He stopped, rocking back on his heels and swallowing the lump in his throat. “How’s your morning going?” 

“I’m seated with a cup of tea, and the library’s copy of War and Peace. So I’d say it’s going pretty marvelously. How about yours?” 

“Well… I got called into work right after I rolled out of bed,” he could hear her sharp inhale, but she remained silent, “We have a case in Pennsylvania. It’s pretty basic, but I don’t know how long it will take…” 

A couple seconds passed before she spoke up again, “I’m sorry to hear that, maybe you can come with me next time!” She fixed her voice with joy. 

“Yeah, next time for sure.” He half-smiled, dragging his shoe across the carpet anxiously. 

“Oh, and Spencer?” She spoke more seriously, and his breath caught slightly. 

“Yes?” 

“Be safe out there.” 

“Of course… Have a great day, Y/N. I’ll call you at the hotel tonight.” He couldn’t help the confused blush rising to his cheeks as he hung up the phone and returned slowly to the group waiting by his desk. Emily, Derek, and Penelope eyed him carefully, registering his changed demeanour. 

“This feels like an interrogation.” Spencer began and Penelope snorted. 

“We’re onto you, buddy.” Derek crossed his arms over his chest with a grin-plastered expression. 

“It is feasible that I have friends.” 

“Whatever you say, Dr. Reid.” Emily laughed, and they were soon joined by the rest of the group as they made their way out to the vehicles to embark on their long car ride. 


	4. The Mind Is An Abyss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y/N's POV

Y/N wasn’t surprised when Spencer called to cancel plans, but even so she couldn’t allow that to get her down. She finished her tea and packed up her dance bag before walking out the door. Hopping into her car, the twenty minute ride to the Dance Academy was filled with her hyping herself up. She blasted the radio, bobbing her head and singing to each song that played. When she arrived, she ran quickly into the building and began changing. She slipped on her maroon crop top and black spandex shorts before making her way to the one of the free rooms. She plugged her phone into the speakers and backed away as the first few notes of  Прірва by The Hardkiss began softly playing. She eyed herself in the wall mirrors, beginning to move with a lithe grace as the song progressed. In the moment, her mind was focused solely on portraying the song through her body movements. Each quick glance at her face in the mirror shone with passion. 

As the song slowed to an end, she laid on the floor with her face toward the ceiling. Her mind was so focused she almost didn’t hear someone open the door and walk across the floor. 

“Hey Y/N,” A face appeared above her, looking down with a humored expression, “What’s got you here so early?” He cracked a smirk, his hair flopping slightly into his face. 

“Oh hey, Flynn.” She smiled back up at him. Kyle was one of her close friends, and they had done duets with each other since they were children, “I just needed to dance.” 

“Is something bothering the almighty dance queen?” He reached a hand out to her while the other hand smoothed his hair back. She pulled herself up with his grip and looked into the mirror. 

“No.” She replied, but catching his eyebrow lift from the corner of her eye she shook her head, “Maybe. I don’t know.” She began stretching her arms and legs while avoiding eye contact with him. 

“You’ve lost your head, Y/N.” He laughed lightly, stretching with her. 

“Perhaps, but I can’t decipher whether I’ve lost my head for the wrong reasons.” She half-smiled and felt a hand on her shoulder. 

“You’re smart, I’m sure you’ll figure out whatever it is.” He sat on the floor and started stretching his legs. She nodded slightly before following suit. 

“Penny introduced me to someone the other night,” she paused to count out seconds in her head while she stretched, “And we exchanged phone numbers. We’re friends.” 

He cocked his head at her in confusion, “So? You have a lot of friends, what’s wrong with that?” 

“Penny said she couldn’t make it to my art exhibition... I don’t want to go alone, so I asked him if he wanted to come with me.” 

“I still fail to see what the problem is. You have a date!” Flynn winked and stood up to brush off his clothing. 

“Something came up with work, and now he can’t come,” she stood up with him and finally made eye contact, “But I felt worse about not being able to go with him than I did about not being able to go with my  _ best friend _ .” 

“Well…” His blonde hair flopped slightly in his face as he smiled at her reassuringly, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll accompany you to your art exhibition tomorrow, and hell we can even go dress shopping tonight,” He paused and scrunched up his nose, “For you. Dress shopping for you.”

“Come on, Flynn. I’d  _ love _ to see you rock a tight strapless dress.” She snorted and adjusted her ponytail. 

“Ha, you’re hilarious. On a serious note though, if I come with you tomorrow I need you to do something.” He looked at her carefully, his green eyes dancing under the studio lights. 

“What’s that?” 

“Saturday you’re going to call him up and ask him on a date.” He flashed his bright white teeth in a large grin. 

“Flynn… He’s just a friend.” She began.

“I’ve been your friend for 22 years, Y/N. And if I’m wrong, I owe you a weekend in New York City. One date wouldn’t hurt.” 

She rolled her eyes and stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t recall the last time she went on a date with anybody, but she didn’t want to either, “Fine… You’re right. Maybe a date  _ wouldn’t  _ hurt.” She watched herself carefully in the mirror, taking in every surface area of her exposed skin. Her high cheekbones were accentuated by her ponytail and she looked stunning. 

“Wanna run through our song again?” Flynn smiled eagerly, filling Y/N with joy. 

“Let’s do it.” 

* * *

 

Y/N spent the day dancing with Flynn, and the night proceeded just as well. Flynn helped her pick out a beautiful dress, then they went out to dinner together and talked about their upcoming movie marathon and dance performance. Before long, Y/N was feeling excited about her art exhibition and she couldn't keep from thinking about how she'd ask Spencer on a date. She arrived home around ten o'clock that evening and as if it were planned, her phone began ringing. She picked it up quickly after checking out the caller I.D. 

"Spencer!" She exclaimed excitedly. She shrugged off her jacket and set her bag on the floor, moving the phone over to her other ear. 

"Hey there, Y/N. You sound happy this evening!" His smile was radiant through the receiver. 

"Well, yes. I bought my dress for the exhibition tomorrow and I'm pretty stoked!" She set her teapot on the stove and waited for the water to boil. 

"I'm sorry I can't go..." He said quietly. Voices came from the background but he hushed them loudly. 

"Hey, no worries. Like I said, we have plenty of art exhibitions you can go to." 

"You're right." The line fell silent for a moment and in a rush of self-confidence, Y/N spoke up. 

"Would you like to go on a date? Like, when you're back from the case and everything?" She held her breath, shocked that she had actually asked him. He was silent for a moment and she immediately regretted the question. 

"A date..." he pondered. 

"Well I mean, you don't have to. I know we're friends but I  _do_ want to get to know you, so I thought I'd-" 

"Yes." He interrupted quickly, causing a smile to grow across her features. 

"Y-yes?" She stuttered, biting her lip slightly. 

"Yes. I'd love to go on a date with you Y/N." 

They spent the next two hours talking with each other about how their days went, and about their favorite pieces of literature before eventually they both decided it was time for bed. They wished each other a good night, and despite Y/N's feeling of anxiety, she was giddy and got the best night's sleep she'd had in a while. 


	5. Surprise!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Switching POV from Spencer to Y/N

Spencer sat in the office at the Pennsylvania Police Department. He tapped his fingers against the desk he leaned against and watched as JJ spoke with a few deputies. The rest of the BAU was out arresting the unsub, leaving JJ and Spencer in waiting. He pushed off the desk and sauntered over to where she stood.

“Hey, I’m going to go make a personal phone call.” Spencer got a firm nod from JJ and he proceeded to walk out the front door. Immediately the cool air hit his face and the smell of coffee filled his senses. He found a bench nearby and plopped down, pulling his phone out of his pocket in the same swift motion. He stared down at it for a good minute or so, is fingers hovering hesitantly over the keys. His internal debate  was abruptly interrupted when the phone began to ring. He fumbled to flip it open, almost dropping it in the process.

“H-hello?” He stuttered and ran a hand through his mess of hair.

“Hey there Spencer!” They honeyed voice came through the receiver and Spencer grinned.

“Hey, Y/N.” He rested his elbows on his knees so he could hold the phone to his ear and hide the blush that had risen to his cheeks. “I was just getting ready to call you!”

“Impeccable timing, as usual.” She chuckled, audibly fussing over something in the background.

“Yeah, I wanted to wish you luck tonight. I know people are going to love your work.”

“Y-you haven’t seen my art yet, how would you know?” He could almost imagine the red rising to her cheeks at that moment.

“Call it a hunch,” he snorted, “and I’m a profiler so my hunches are usually right.”

A moment of silence ensued and Spencer couldn’t help but bask in the comfort it gave him. He wrung his hands and raised his head as he heard the familiar purr of the black SUV's enter the parking lot. He rose, brushing through his hair again with his free hand.

“Y/N I’ve got to let you go, the team just returned with our unsub. Again, good luck tonight.” They said their goodbyes and Spencer followed the team as they piled out of their vehicles. He pursued close behind while they dragged the unsub into the interrogation room. Spencer approached Hotchner who stood on the outside of the glass.

“Is there anything I can do?” He inquired, looking at the unkempt white male through the glass. He broke his gaze as looking at the murderer of three innocent mothers made him sick to his stomach. Aaron gave him a sideways glance then looked past his face to meet Derek’s amused expression.

“Sure, you can get out of here. I don’t think there’s anything left for you to do at this point.” Hotch’s lip twitched and his eyes glittered with something he couldn't quite decipher. Spencer raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

“U-uh.” Spencer paused for a moment, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, we were informed that you have somewhere you need to be tonight.” Derek winked and flashed his white smile before roughly patting Spencer on the back. His lips twisted into a smirk. He turned to walk hurriedly away when he heard Derek yell something to his back.

“Fix your hair and bring her flowers!”

He could hear the resounding chuckles from Aaron and Derek as he walked out the door. He crossed the parking lot and clumsily unlocked his door before climbing into the seat. He put the keys in the ignition and whipped out his phone, trying to reach (Y/N). He allowed the phone to ring six times before giving up and shoving the device back into his pocket. If anything his arrival would be something to make her night worthwhile. He was practically bubbling over in excitement as he raced down the freeway on his way back to Quantico. He made a mental note to grab flowers then glanced in the rear view mirror, taking in his unkempt hair and stubble. He couldn't help the smile that was plastered on his face. Though he wouldn't have been surprised if it was Garcia who had something to do with the arrangement. He accelerated faster down the highway, anticipation flowing through his veins.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------

Y/N's POV

\-------------------------------------------------------

(Y/N) made an attempt to curl her hair, albeit that she wasn't skilled in the matter. She gave up with a sigh, settling for an elegant up-do.  With less grace than a heavy ox, she pulled the dress over her intricate hairstyle. She huffed and groaned, internally deciding that she was never going to be good at being fancy. She heard a few raps on her front door and lifted her dress to prance through her apartment. She opened the door to find Flynn's chiseled expression and mess of blonde hair.

"See!! I told you you'd look fire as hell in that dress." Flynn grinned and stepped past the threshold to extend a single rose to (Y/N). 

"You didn't have to do that, Flynn." She gave him a loving side-hug before tiptoeing across the carpet to retrieve her heels.

"There's a lot of things I don't need to do, yet it's common courtesy to bring a lady a flower as a token of appreciation." She turned to face Flynn who was smiling mischievously.

"What's gotten into you this evening, Flynn? You're not the kind to be fancy." She snorted.

"I beg your pardon, do you think I have something to hide?" He reached his hand to his mouth, giving an expression of mock devastation. (Y/N) rolled her eyes before throwing a black shawl over her shoulders.

“Fine let’s go, but if you try to pull anything funny I’m  _ never  _ inviting you to another art exhibition.” She pulled Flynn by the sleeve out of her apartment, turning to lock the door behind them. She pulled Flynn by the sleeve out of her apartment building turning only to lock the door behind them. As they walked out the door there was a skip in Flynn's step that Y/N had never noticed before. For some reason this evening he appeared to be peppy. It was uncharacteristic of him to be so formal. She silently wondered what he had going on inside that golden-haired head. Her eyes furrowed in confusion, and her lips pressed into a line as he escorted her out to his white SUV.

"Be careful getting into the car, if you ruin that dress I will ruin your life." Flynn chuckled and pulled the seat belt over his chest. His blue  eyes watched as she gripped a corner of her dress and maneuvered herself into the seat. She nodded over at him and smiled briefly. He watched her with a raised brow and she rolled her eyes again as she buckled the seat belt over herself.

"Are you happy now, Your Highness?"

"Elated, actually." He switched on his headlights before pulling back out of apartment complex. They drove in silence aside from the purr of the SUV and the faint music playing on Flynn's radio. Y/N looked out the window solemnly with her chin in her hand. Her eyes watched the streetlights as they cast shadows along the dimly lit streets. They reminded her of silhouetted dancers and it was almost enough to lull her to sleep.

Fifteen minutes later they were pulling into the parking lot at the gallery. Flynn's smirk heightened her suspicions. He parked in the spot closest to the door and sat there for a few minutes.

"Aren't you going to go in?" Flynn gestured to the open gallery door as people walked arm in arm inside the building. A puzzled expression crossed her features and she raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Aren't you coming in with me?" She questioned, unbuckling her belt.

"I believe you already have a date there, sweetheart. I'm just your chauffeur this evening." Flynn's voice was playful as he made another gesture to the front door. Her gaze followed his gesture, her eyes immediately settling on a familiar lanky individual. He held a bouquet of flowers and wore a lost expression. Her heart almost skipped a beat as she looked back at Flynn with a gleam in her eyes.

"Hold on, how did you-"

"If you expected anything less from Penny and I, I'm disappointed in you. Now go, your boy is waiting for you."

"You devils. I love you guys, tell Pen I said thank you." Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she slid out of the leather seat and landed on her heels. Her eyes were locked on Spencer's as she approached with ease. She watched as his eyes scanned the crowd before landing on her approaching figure. He walked to meet her halfway, grazing over her with brown eyes full of adoration. He held out the flowers to her and greeted her with a gentle smile.

“H-hey there! You, uh, you look-,” he faltered, running his fingers through his hair. He rocked back on his heels and looked as though he were searching for words to say, “S-surprise.” He mumbled almost inaudibly. Y/N’s smile never broke as she placed the flowers in the crook of her elbow.

“And a wonderful surprise at that, Spencer.” She linked his arm into his and lead the way into the studio, greeting familiar faces as they entered the door.

Unease crept into her stomach as they surveyed the crowd around a few displays in the corner. She tightened her arm slightly around his, prompting a concerned expression. She beamed up at him happily and proceeded to pull him to the far left side of the room. 

“Here’s my piece.” She pointed to a canvas on the wall, highlighted by a single spotlight. She watched as different emotions played across his face and his lips parted slightly. After a moment of silence he seemingly returned to reality, not breaking his incredulous stare. 

“You did this?” 

“Well, yes.” She smirked, a hint of rosy color venturing to her cheeks. He turned completely to face her, his eyes boring through her own with a deep emotion she couldn’t decipher. 

“You never cease to amaze me, Y/N.” He spoke as though they were the only two in the room and she hid behind her hair to conceal the now-vibrant blush. 

“Admiring only  _ my _ work will make me look conceited, let’s go admire some others.” She moved to pull them around the area. They spent the rest of the evening laughing and attempting to decipher the meaning behind each painting in the gallery. They shook hands and properly introduced themselves to other artists, who inquired about Spencer and Y/N’s relationship status. They each became flustered but denied being together in that way, receiving doubtful expressions. Deep down they both knew they shared a connection of sorts, whether it be a friendly one or otherwise. However they were comfortable and inseparable, so rather than allow the atmosphere to become awkward they stayed content in the moment and relished in the ability to share it with each other. 


End file.
